Austin rallies with nine-straight runs to defeat Centre 11-7

The Austin College softball team scored the last nine runs of the game, including seven in the sixth inning to defeat Centre College 11-7 in game one of the 2008 Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference Softball Tournament (SCAC) Friday, April 25, at Millennium Park in Danville, Ky.

The Colonels broke through early, plating two runs in the top half of the first on a two-out, two-run single by Taylor Childress. Austin (16-21) answered in the bottom of the third with two runs of its own when Bobbi Schulle singled to tie the game at two apiece.

After scoring an unearned run in the top of the fourth to go back in front 3-2, Centre plated four runs in the top of the fifth. Charlotte Jones had a two-run double in the inning and also stole home for the fourth run to give the Colonels 7-2 lead.

Following an inning-opening ground out, Laci Hart homered to left-center to cut the lead to 7-3. Carolyn Stone later singled in another run and the Kangaroos were down 7-4.

Centre (20-19) went scoreless in the top of the sixth but were unable to keep Austin off the scoreboard in the bottom of the inning as the Kangaroos struck for seven runs. Stone came up big again, this time driving in three runs with a double to left-center.

The Colonels were not able to answer as Austin held on for the 11-7 win to advance to the winner's bracket.

Ashley Johnson earned the win in relief of Brittany Gaertner to improve to 8-11. Johnson three two innings scoreless innings scattering six hits. Jones suffered the loss for Centre allowing seven runs - four earned - on seven hits in 5.1 innings to fall to 9-10.

Stone finished with four runs driven in on two hits, while Schulle drove in two more with two hits. Five different Colonels recorded two hits, including Childress and Jones, who also drove in two runs apiece.

Austin advances to play top-seeded DePauw University at 4 p.m., while Centre will fall to the loser's bracket and play the loser of the Trinity University and Millsaps College Saturday, April 26 at noon.